Meeting Overview

The Lodi Planning Commission will hold a regular public meeting to consider one primary public hearing item and conduct standard commission business. The central action item is a request for a Use Permit and related approvals to allow beer and wine service at an expanded Guantonio’s restaurant location at 606 West Lockeford Street.

Attendance and Public Comment

How to Attend

In person at the Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street, Lodi, CA.
Online viewing and listening via live stream at https://www.youtube.com/CityofLodi/.

How to Provide Public Comment

Public comment may be submitted in the following ways (deadlines are 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting unless noted):

In person: Speak during the designated public comment periods at the meeting.
Email: pccomments@lodi.gov
Mail: Community Development Department, P.O. Box 3006, Lodi, CA 95241
Hand delivery: Community Development Department, 221 W. Pine Street, Lodi, CA 95240

For non-agenda items, individuals are limited to one appearance under the “Comments by the Public (Non-Agenda Items)” section.

Agenda Structure

Roll Call – Establishes attendance and quorum.
Minutes – Approval of September 24, 2025 Planning Commission minutes.
Comments by the Public (Non-Agenda Items) – Public comments on matters not listed on the agenda.
Public Hearings
- Item 4a – Use Permit request for a Type 41 ABC License for on-site beer and wine sales at Guantonio’s restaurant expansion at 606 West Lockeford Street (File Number: PL2025-016 U).
Planning Matters / Follow-Up Items
Announcements and Correspondence
Actions of the City Council
Actions of the Site Plan and Architectural Review Committee
Comments by the Planning Commissioners & Staff (Non-Agenda Items)
Adjournment

Previous Meeting Minutes (September 24, 2025)

The Commission will consider approval of the minutes from the September 24, 2025 regular Planning Commission meeting. That meeting included:

Roll call showing attendance by Chair Hicks, Commissioners Diehl, Woehl, and McNickle, with Commissioners Eddy and Vice Chair Singh absent.
Approval of minutes from June 11, July 23, and August 27, 2025.
A public hearing and approval of a Use Permit (PL2025-013 U) for Journey Adult Day Program, a private school providing vocational and life skills training for adults at 550 West Century Boulevard.
Discussion of future annexation and General Plan update work, and introduction of a new Planning Commissioner, Kari McNickle.

Public Hearing – Guantonio’s Type 41 ABC License (Item 4a)

Project Summary

Applicant: Guantonio’s Wood Fired Cuisine, LLC (Nick Guantone)

Property Owner: AJ Global Properties, LLC (John Denigris)

Site Address: 606 West Lockeford Street, Lodi, CA 95240 (APN: 037‑230‑09)

Zoning: Mixed Use Corridor (MCO)

General Plan Land Use: Mixed Use Corridor (MCO)

Site Area: Approximately 0.2 acres (8,909 square feet)

The applicant seeks a Use Permit to authorize a Type 41 Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) License for on-site beer and wine service at Guantonio’s expanded restaurant location. The expansion occupies an existing 2,235 square-foot building immediately adjacent to the original Guantonio’s restaurant at 600 West Lockeford Street.

Existing Restaurant and Expansion

Guantonio’s Wood Fired Cuisine is an established restaurant in Lodi, operating at 600 West Lockeford Street since 2021. The restaurant specializes in wood-fired pizzas made with naturally leavened dough and organic, non-GMO flour, and emphasizes fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients.

The expansion at 606 West Lockeford Street:

Occupies a former art studio and boutique building approximately 160 feet west of the West Lockeford Street/North California Street intersection.
Will be remodeled internally to provide additional indoor seating and service area.
Will operate as an integrated extension of the existing restaurant, under the same ownership and management.

Hours of Operation: Currently 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The use permit would allow flexibility to operate any day of the week between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Type 41 ABC License – On-Sale Beer and Wine

The applicant is requesting a Type 41 ABC License, which is defined by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control as an on-sale beer and wine license for bona fide eating places. Key characteristics include:

Authorizes sale of beer and wine for consumption on or off the premises.
Does not allow distilled spirits on the premises, except brandy, rum, or liqueurs used solely for cooking purposes.
Requires operation as a bona fide eating place with suitable kitchen facilities and substantial meal sales.
Permits minors on the premises.
Subjects the establishment to Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) requirements, including certification of alcohol servers and managers.

At the expanded Guantonio’s location, beer and wine service will be incidental to meal service and operated under the same food-first business model as the existing restaurant.

Zoning and Surrounding Land Uses

The project site is designated Mixed Use Corridor (MCO) in both the General Plan and Zoning Map. This designation supports a mix of office and general commercial uses intended to encourage corridor revitalization and high-quality development. Alcohol sales for on-site or off-site consumption are permitted in the MCO district subject to Use Permit approval.

Adjacent Zoning Designations and Land Uses
Direction	General Plan	Zoning Classification	Existing Land Use
North	Low-Density Residential and Mixed Use Corridor	Low-Density Residential and Mixed Use Corridor	Single-family residences and restaurant
South	Low-Density Residential	Low-Density Residential	Single-family residences
East	Mixed Use Corridor and Low-Density Residential	Mixed Use Corridor and Low-Density Residential	Restaurant and personal services
West	Low-Density Residential	Low-Density Residential	Single-family residences and duplex

Required Findings for Use Permit Approval

The Lodi Municipal Code (LMC) Section 17.40.040(F) requires the Planning Commission to make several findings in order to approve a Use Permit. Staff recommends that the Commission can make each of the following findings:

Allowed Use and Code Compliance: The Mixed Use Corridor zoning designation allows alcohol sales for on-site or off-site consumption with a Use Permit, and the project complies with applicable development code provisions.
Consistency with General Plan: The project supports a restaurant use that is compatible with the Mixed Use Corridor land use designation and is not located within a specific plan area.
Compatibility with Health, Safety, and Welfare: The expansion is adjacent to an existing, compliant restaurant operation. Alcohol service will remain incidental to food service, with a strong compliance history with ABC and City regulations. Conditions of approval and ABC rules are expected to keep impacts related to noise, traffic, and safety negligible.
Compatibility with Existing and Future Land Uses: The expanded restaurant fits within an existing commercial structure without changing the building footprint. The same management, hours, and food-focused model will continue, maintaining compatibility with surrounding residential and commercial uses.
CEQA Compliance: The project is exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the “Common Sense” exemption, because there is no possibility of significant environmental effects. The project involves no physical site alterations and alcohol service remains ancillary to the existing restaurant use.

Environmental Review (CEQA)

The project has been reviewed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined to be categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). This “Common Sense” exemption applies when it can be seen with certainty that the activity will not have a significant effect on the environment. Because the project involves only a change in alcohol service at an existing building with no physical modifications, no significant environmental impact is anticipated and no mitigation measures are required.

Public Convenience or Necessity Determination

The California ABC has found that the City of Lodi as a whole has an overconcentration of alcohol licenses. Consequently, before authorizing an additional license in the census tract, the Planning Commission must determine that the project serves a public convenience or necessity (PCN).

Staff recommends the Commission determine that the public convenience or necessity is met because:

The project supports an established restaurant use that will serve neighboring residents, nearby businesses, and the broader community.
The new license will support an expansion of an existing business rather than create a new standalone bar use.
The project is expected to provide economic and community benefits that outweigh potential negative impacts.

Key Conditions of Approval

The draft resolution includes detailed conditions from Planning and Police departments, which collectively regulate how alcohol is sold and how the site is operated.

Summary of Key Conditions of Approval
Category	Condition	Purpose
Planning	Indemnification of City by applicant/owner	Protects City from legal claims related to approval and operation
Planning	Compliance with all City, State, and Federal laws and regulations	Ensures operation meets applicable regulatory standards
Planning	City’s right to review Use Permit if problems arise	Allows future adjustment or revocation if impacts occur
Planning	Certified responsible alcohol service training for all staff within 30 days	Promotes safe and responsible sale of alcoholic beverages
Planning	Prohibition on serving intoxicated patrons	Reduces risk of over-service and public safety issues
Planning	Food sales must remain a substantial activity	Maintains restaurant-focused use rather than a bar use
Planning	Hours limited to 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.	Limits late-night noise and compatibility concerns
Planning	ABC and Health Department permits required before operation	Ensures all other regulatory permits are in place
Police	Security and crime deterrence training for staff	Improves awareness and response to potential security issues
Police	Use of smart ID scanner for alcohol sales	Reduces underage access and use of fraudulent IDs
Police	Interior and exterior surveillance system with minimum 30-day retention	Provides evidence in case of incidents and deters crime
Police	Well-lit exterior and maintained landscaping for visibility	Improves safety and crime prevention

Visual Summary – Conditions of Approval by Category

The chart below summarizes the relative emphasis on Planning-related and Police-related conditions of approval. The values are representative and based on the number and scope of conditions discussed in the staff report.

Staff Recommendation and Alternative Actions

Staff recommends that the Planning Commission:

Find the project exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3).
Determine that the project serves a public necessity and convenience.
Approve Use Permit PL2025‑016 for the sale of beer and wine for on-site consumption at 606 West Lockeford Street, subject to the findings and conditions in the draft resolution.

Alternative actions available to the Commission include:

Approving the Use Permit with modified or additional conditions.
Denying the Use Permit.
Continuing the item to a future meeting for further analysis or public input.

Right of Appeal

Any person who participated in the review process for this item—by submitting written comments, providing oral testimony, or attending the public hearing—has the right to appeal the Planning Commission’s decision.

Appeals must be filed with the City Clerk within ten (10) business days of the decision and must be accompanied by a $300.00 appeal fee. Appeals are processed in accordance with Chapter 17.70 (Appeals) of the Lodi Municipal Code.

Contact for Appeals: City Clerk, City Hall, 2nd Floor, 221 West Pine Street, Lodi, CA 95240 • Phone: (209) 333‑6702.

Legal and Procedural Notices

Brown Act and Posting Requirements

Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2(a), the agenda for this meeting was posted at least 72 hours in advance in a public place accessible 24 hours a day.

Public Comment Rights

In accordance with Government Code Section 54954.3(a), public comments may be directed to the Commission on any item on the agenda either before or during consideration of that item.

Campaign Contributions and Disqualification

Under Government Code Section 84308, Planning Commissioners who have received more than $250 in campaign contributions from an applicant, contractor, their agents, or any financially interested participant within the preceding 12 months are disqualified from participating in that agenda item. Both Commissioners and contributors must disclose such contributions for the official record.

Accessibility and Language Access

All staff reports and written documentation related to agenda items are available for public inspection at the Community Development Department, 221 W. Pine Street, Lodi, and on the City’s website at www.lodi.gov.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the agenda will be made available in alternative formats upon request. Disability-related modifications or accommodations and language interpreter requests should be made at least 72 hours before the meeting by contacting the Community Development Office at (209) 333‑6711. Spanish-language interpreting requests must also be made at least 72 hours in advance.

Contact Information

For general information about this agenda:

Contact: Jessica Pagán, Administrative Assistant
Telephone: (209) 333‑6711

Community Development Department:
221 W. Pine Street, Lodi, CA 95240

Lodi Planning Commission Agenda – December 10, 2025